cikli_ta and s'ri_: soma and prosperity

[S.Kalyanaraman]

Hi,
Cross-posted from indo_iranian list:

 Haoma yasna is a relic of the Soma yajn~a, after the
 quartz was substituted by a 'plant' in the ritual
 version of the earlier metallurgical process
 elaborated in the Rigveda.

 Please browse the url http://sarasvati.listbot.com;
 Click on View the List Archive; message #87:Cikli_ta,
 son of S'ri_: Soma, electrum, son of prosperity. This
 message announces a paradigm shift in Vedic studies. 

 Soma was indeed a quartz purified to yield gold and
 silver using fire and other sacrificial materials
 which are the devata_ names (na_man). A na_man is a
 san~jna_; many are api_cya (hidden). The A_pri (RV
 5.5.10) asks Vanaspati to carry oblations to a region
 where the secret names of gods are known. The name of
 soma in such a region is known to inmates of the
 region but not to his parents (RV 9.75.2). Soma, when
 purified flows to a good and secret name (RV 9.96.16).
 Soma gets the secret name (RV 9.75.2)during
 purification byu Sotr. In this setting, ghr.ta_ is
 also a devata_ (RV 4.58.10-11). Hiran.ya (zaran.ya in
 Av.) is mentioned in the Khilasu_kta of Rigveda (4.6):
 Verses 5 and 6: "The gold which is produced from Agni
 has becfome immortality among men. One who knows this
 deserves to have it. One who holds it does of old age.
 This secret which is known to king Varun.a, known to
 goddess Sarasvati_, known to Indra, the killer of
 Vr.tra, may it be conducive to my vital energy and
 long life."

 Regards,
 Dr. S. Kalyanaraman

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